Take a look around you and count the number of portable, WiFi enabled devices that you currently own.  Of course, there are obvious choices like your laptop, iPod touch and iPad, but there are a few you might be forgetting.  Chances are that your cell phone, portable game system, e-reader (Kindle, Nook, etc.) and netbook are also capable of using WiFi when you need it.

Now ask yourself how many times you have connected to a free WiFi hotspot at a coffee shop, fast food restaurant, book store or other establishment.  That number is also the number of times that you have opened yourself up to identity theft.  That’s right, using free WiFi could very well be an open door for hackers to spy on your internet activity and steal personal information or even take over your Facebook account.

How Hackers Use WiFi Connections

When you connect to a WiFi hotspot in public, you are using another person or company’s internet connection to access the internet.  These hotspots are set up to “share” the internet and are most likely set up with a firewall or security software, but the truth is they are dangerous.  It’s the “sharing” part that is scary.  Another customer that is sharing that same internet connection right there at Starbucks or McDonalds might be there strictly to spy on users like you.

With a laptop and a few software programs (which are very easy to obtain these days), a hacker can track your movement on the world wide web and steal important information about you.  A recent news report from Canada does a great job of explaining the issue and guess what, it doesn’t just apply to Canada.

W5: Investigating Canada's big cyber security problem

How Can I Protect Myself on WiFi Hotspots

I’m definitely not saying that you shouldn’t use free WiFi.  I’m just saying that you should do it safely and do so by arming yourself with the proper tools/defenses.  After a little digging, I located some great information on how you can protect yourself.

First, it is important to note that visiting secure websites is not as big of an issue, because your information is encrypted before being sent over the internet.  In other words, if you visit a site that starts with HTTPS, instead of HTTP you are much more protected (as we pointed out in another article Shopping Safely – 101 Days Until Christmas).

What you really need to worry about is using a shared WiFi connection to access your Facebook account or your online email account.  Until recently, these types of services did not offer a secured (HTTPS) connection and cyber sniffers could steal your information easily.  Thankfully, there are now steps that you can take to protect yourself on Facebook and when using Gmail.  As for other online sites that you visit frequently, you might want to check with them for for more information.

A Secured Connection on Facebook

Default HTTPS Access for Gmail

Vary Your Passwords and Make Them Secure

If a hacker was able to access your login information on Facebook or another site, would they have the skeleton key for your online existence?  Put another way, do you use one standard password for everything you do?  Even if your password is secure (something most people fail at miserably), once a hacker has it he can simply start trying it on commonly used sites like banking institutions, Amazon.com, Google, etc.  It is imperative that you vary your passwords from site to site in order to protect yourself.

What Else Can I do to Protect Myself From Hackers

Using HTTPS is just the tip of the iceberg.  If you are a road warrior and spend a lot of time accessing WiFi hotspots, you’ll need to dive a little deeper and follow some of these additional steps.

• Lifehacker put together a great article on How to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi Networks that covers topics like
  • Turn off sharing in your operating system
  • Enable your firewall
  • Using HTTPS (as we covered above)
  • Setting up a VPN Network
  • Turn off WiFi when your aren’t using it
• VPN: There are also some all-in-one tools that help you with setting up a VPN network:
  • Hotspot Shield
  • Witopia
• Personal Hotspots: Depending on your location(s), a personal hotspot (like the CLEAR Spot Voyager) might be the solution.  Provide your own internet access for these benefits:
  • Security – password protect your hotspot and you’ll be the only one with access.
  • Speed – some hotspots can give you upload/download speeds similar to what you would expect from a cable modem at home.  Chances are this blows the doors off what Starbucks is offering you for free.
  • Easy access – Set up that hotspot and your devices will remember it.  The next time you need internet access, all you have to do is turn it on.  You won’t have to worry about finding the password and you’ll be connected in seconds.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – March 30, 2012

Several years ago I made FollowFriday in a Blog a weekly part of my blog posting.  Eventually I moved on to other things and #FF got lost in the shuffle, but a recent post from @dayngr (that’s her Twitter name) titled Forget Follow Friday! Tips to Boost Your Social Media Networks and Improve SEO officially sparked my interest again and here we are.

The concept is simple.  FollowFriday is supposed to HELP others figure out who to follow in the sea of craziness that is Twitter.  Unfortunately, the “proper” use of this Twitter tradition has been lost over the last few years and people now simply spout off lists of names.  That doesn’t benefit anyone really (unless you simply want mentions).

“If you’ve ever been stumped for content, that shouldn’t be an issue for Fridays any more. Provided you follow people you’ll want to recommend, the beauty of this approach is that you’ll have a #FF blog post once a week. Tag and categorize your #FF posts and you’ve got great reference material that you can refer back to and a resource that others can use as well.”- From Trish’s post to your eyes, here we go.

@Dayngr (Trish Forant) gets it.  Twitter is about the conversation and truly communicating with one another.  I found @dayngr via a new app called Discovr, followed her and almost immediately received a thank you.  I reached out to her and asked for a list of Twitter recommendations (other people I should follow) and she immediately provided me with a list of folks who also “get” Twitter.  In one day she provided me with an entire micro-community of like-minded individuals who I now interact with on a regular basis.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/dayngr
Blog: http://dayngrzone.blogspot.com/
Topics: social media, Florida, entrepreneurship, blogging
Klout: http://klout.com/#/Dayngr

@WarrenWhitlock (Warren Whitlock) is another Twitter user who “gets it.”  I think I first met him at CES this year in Las Vegas.  All it took was a follow and Warren was quickly on my list of people to watch.  He shares great content (both original and from other sources) and seems to be interested in many of my favorite topics (see topics below).  One of the best things about Warren, he communicates.  Like a story, share a thought or ask a question – Warren will get back to you and join in on the conversation.  Again, that’s what Twitter is all about

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/WarrenWhitlock
Web Site: http://profitablesocialmedia.com/#
Topics: marketing, social media, writing, blogging, media
Twitter: http://klout.com/#/WarrenWhitlock

Follow one or both of the Twitter users we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations.  Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is use the Share bar below.

Don’t fall for the gimmicks and promises of those commercials or big-box electronics stores.  You don’t need their help to get your PC running like new again.  All the tools and information you need are right at your fingertips.

JumpstartMyPC has the how-to information and clean up utilities you need to speed up that old computer and it is all 100% FREE.

Why is My Computer Running Slow

There are a number of factors that cause a computer to load or respond slowly. Most of the issues stem from a build up of files and a basic organization problem within Windows. The good news is that you don’t have to understand the problems fully to fix it. However, if you want to know more about any of the tasks listed under Clean Up Utilities (the section below), simply click on the article link provided to read on for a more thorough explanation.

Clean Up Utilities

There are 5 main areas that you will need to focus on each time you perform maintenance on your PC. Simply print out this article for reference, work your way down the list, install and use each program and reboot. You’ll see an immediate boost in performance and wonder why you ever put up with a slow computer.

STOP: Before performing any maintenance on your computer, you should always make sure that your data is backed up.  Errors can happen at any time and you don’t want to lose your files, pictures, music, videos, etc.

All of the clean up utilities you will need to fix a slow-running computer are posted and available for you on the JumpstartMyPC.com Tools page (pictured above).  We add new items to this area from time-to-time and keep all of the links updated with the most recent versions of each application. Simply locate an application that you would like to use and click on the Software link out to the right. You’ll be directed to an external site and the download will begin.

1) Defragmentation

Definition – A defrag of your hard drive makes it easier on your PC to locate files and extends the life of your hard drive.
Program: Auslogics Disk Defrag (available on the tools page)
Article: Defragmentation: A Simple Task for a Huge Result

2) Windows Update

Definition – Microsoft releases regular updates for your operating system. There might be a security or bug fix waiting for you. Reported issues from other PC users help Microsoft improve Windows and these improvements are part of the frequent updates that pop up in your task bar.
Program: Windows (already installed on your system)
Article: Warning Lights on Your PC Shouldn’t be Ignored

3) Malware and Spyware

Definition – Malware, Spyware and other unwanted malicious programs are installed without your knowledge.
Program: Spybot Search and Destroy (available on the tools page)
Article: Read this Overview from the makers of Spybot Search and Destroy

4) Old, Unnecessary Files

Definition – As you surf the internet, your browser collects files in a temporary folder. These files are not deleted until you tell your computer to do so. On almost any computer that is running slow, thousands of old, unnecessary files can be found and eliminated, immediately improving PC performance.
Program: CCleaner (available on the tools page)
Article: Read How to Use CCleaner from the Download Blog.

5) Registry Cleaning

Definition – The registry stores configuration settings and options for Windows. Unfortunately, it never cleans out old files. If you have ever removed programs or simply updated the programs you use regularly, chances are your PC has some old registry entries that are causing Windows some confusion.
Program: Abexo Registry Cleaner (available on the tools page) NOT FOR WINDOWS 7 USERS
Article: Your Registry is Probably in Need of a Cleaning

* Please note that this is not a one-time operation. Regular maintenance of your PC (once every few months), is necessary to keep it running smoothly.

We would love to hear back from users on how helpful this was. Please feel free to leave a comment below and tell us about your experience with fixing your own slow computer. If the steps above helped you, be sure to use the sharing tools below to pass the information on to friends and family and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more updates on getting the most our of your PC.

What?  Did you even remember that there is a Spam folder?  If you’re anything like me, the answer is probably no, but that doesn’t mean that this update is not important.  If nothing else, let this article serve as a reminder that your Spam folder is not to be ignored.  Take a few minutes to review and test it out.

How Did This Email Get in My Spam Folder?

Now, each of the messages moved into your Spam folder is labeled with a small box just under the sender information.  As explained in the official blog post from Gmail, simply look at any message and “now you can find out why it was put there and learn about any potentially harmful content within the message.”

I took a few minutes to check out my Gmail account and found a few messages with detailed explanations, like the one below.  As you can see by arrow #1, this particular message came with a red box, indicating that similar messages were used to steal people’s personal information.  Helpful information for anyone worried about identity theft.

Other warnings found throughout your spam folder can include verbiage like “It might contain a virus or a malicious link”, “You previously marked messages from _________ as spam” or “It’s similar to messages that were detected by our spam filters.”

Wait a Minute – That’s Not Spam

As I was testing out this new feature in Gmail I found quite a few messages that were being erroneously moved from my Inbox to the Spam folder.  I honestly forgot that this could happen, as I never really make it down to that folder.

Every so often you should take the time to check your Spam folder to see if any of your incoming mail has been placed there accidentally.  It probably happens more often than you think.

If you do find a message that really should not have been moved there, take the time to click on the icon just to the right of the email subject (labeled with arrow #2 in the image above).  The Spam label will then be removed from the conversation and the email moved to the Inbox.

Conversely, any message in your Inbox can be moved to the Spam folder with one simple click.  If you find a message from a sender that you don’t want and you aren’t interested in receiving any further messages from that company/preson, just click on the Spam button in the toolbar found above your emails (just below the search bar).

Hope you found this information helpful.  Don’t forget that this might be important to friends and family who use Gmail often, so share this blog post with them by using the share toolbar below.  It’s FREE and easy to use!

Of course, being the helpful individual you are, you head to your browser, type in those six little letters and find the answer for that coworker of yours.  GOOGLE!  In seconds you have an answer, but now you’ve lost your place.  You can’t remember where you were at in your work and you spend the next 10 minutes trying to get back into a rhythm.  Why couldn’t he/she simply do this themselves?  Why do you have to be the one that always looks these things up?

The next time this happens, you’ll have a better way to answer – Let Me Google That for You (lmgtfy.com)

What is LMGTFY.com

Dreamed up by @coderifous and @rmm5t (those are their twitter handles) is the tool you’ve always needed.  You just didn’t know it til now.  You type in the question and LMGTFY does the work.  Within seconds, you have an answer and a message that you can send to that co-worker.  Hopefully, the message that is really received is “Hey you – this is how easy it is to get an answer to those everyday questions you keep bugging me for!”  Here is how it works:

1. Sally (that co-worker) bugs you with the question “What time is it in San Francisco right now?”
2. Head over to lmgtfy.com and do what Sally should have done.
   

   Type in your question.

3. Click on “Google Search” and get a custom link to send to Sally.
   

   Your custom link is provided.

4. Copy, paste and send – it’s on it’s way to Sally in an email.
5. Sally receives the URL and opens it to find the answer she was looking for, along with a little dose of common sense!
   

   Click on the image to see what Sally would see

Hopefully, Sally will appreciate the humor in all this.

More Fun

Maybe it’s just me and my twisted sense of humor mixed with a fair dose of “really!” but I find things like LMGTFY hilarious.  If you do share my opinion, then do yourself a favor and take a look around the LMGTFY website.  One of my favorite sections of the site is the Live Stream.  The Live Stream lets you see what other people are typing into the search area of the site in real time.  I’ll warn you in advance that some of the topics can be a little “delicate” but it really is funny/educational to see what other people are using the site for.

Hope you enjoy! Now, pardon this interruption and get back to work.

Impressive numbers indeed, but there is one number that you’ll need to prepare yourself for if you plan on using Pinterest any further, one! That’s the number of uninvited guests that it takes to spoil the party and in the case of Pinterest, those uninvited guests are spammers.  That’s right, your beloved Pinterest (well, mine too) is starting to deal with it’s first real challenge (other than growing so fast).

Scammers arrive to Pinterest bit.ly/wsIA8v #in

— SimplyZesty (@SimplyZesty) March 4, 2012

Pinterest Scams

Based on reports that began to surface on Twitter last week (including the one shown above from SimplyZesty), some of the tricks shown below have been used on Pinterest and you’ll need to keep your eyes open if you want to avoid trouble.  Coach, Starbucks and H&M gift card scams are just the tip of the iceberg.  Users click on these links and are taken to bogus websites where they are asked for personal information.  Somewhere along the process, spyware is installed on your machine and then the fun really begins.

A Few of the Pinterest Scams

Pinterest is doing their best to put an end to these shenanigans, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned about spammers over the years it’s that they find a way to adapt and they do it quickly.

Darn! Our first spammer joined pinterest. We’re working right now on a few solutions. #badapples — Pinterest (@Pinterest) December 3, 2011

Protect Yourself

New scams like this will continue to surface and probably remain a part of the Pinterest experience for some time.  Don’t rely on others to protect you from the potential dangers.  You’ll need to take matters into your own hands.  The good folks over at Trend Micro have put together a Guide to Social Threats on Social Media that everyone should read, but here are a few tips to get you started:

• If it’s too good to be true, it probably is – don’t click!
• Be wary of clicking on links from unknown accounts – in the case of Pinterest, this includes images from unknown Pinterest users.
• Only befriend people you know.
• Never use the same password for multiple sites & make sure your passwords are strong.
• Use Web of Trust in your browser to protect you from malicious links.

Do you spend time each day on Facebook and/or Twitter, clicking links to articles and stories that interest you?

Do you have friends or relatives that blog or write for online publications?

If you said yes to any of these questions, you are a consumer of online information.  Now, how many times have you commented, shared, liked or even clicked on an ad when visiting a website?  If your answer is a small number, then you are what I like to call a digital stalker.  I hope you don’t take offense, but the truth is you are simply peering in the window and sneaking a peek at the information that others have worked so hard to put out there.  Without some sort of interaction, that information might simply disappear and that is why I’ve put together this digital guide for what I like to call “digital tipping.”

Online Content

If you’re like me, and what I assume is the majority of the world, you really don’t feel like paying for online content.  You’d like to simply “Google” the web for information and get the answers you are looking for FREE.  You might be looking for the answer to a simple question, trying to find a quick recipe for dinner or simply watch a video on YouTube about how to set up your new surround sound system.  If someone asked you to pay for this information, you’d probably search for another site that had that same content at no charge,  right?

Think for a minute about the amount of time and effort that people put into creating, editing and posting that content.  Those people might be giant corporations, small business or even individuals who simply post the information for fun.  No matter the size of the business, each and every one of these content providers has something in common.  They all have bills and hope to leverage a bit of that content they create to pay those bills.  Without some sort of income from their hard work, they might not have the resources and/or time to post additional content.  If that happens, the next time you turn to Google for an answer, you might not find what you are looking for

Digital Tipping

So, the next logical question is “how do I help these content providers without breaking out my credit card?”  It’s simple.  Through a few simple button clicks you can help show your support for your favorite website, video site or blog by simply leaving a digital tip, like a tip jar at your local bar or coffee shop.  It doesn’t have to be much, just a little showing of gratitude for a job well done.  Here are a few ways you can do that.

• Share – On any website these days, you’ll see the icons for sharing.  Facebook, Twitter, email, StumbleUpon, Digg, ShareThis, AddThis…. the list goes on and on.  With a few clicks and/or keystrokes, you can share that helpful information you read with your friends and family.
• Like - The same principle as sharing is found by liking something, but even less work.  One button click is all it takes to help out your favorite website or blogger.
• Comments – It might not seem helpful, but leaving a comment on a blog or article (one actually related to the subject matter) helps the author and other readers.  Your comment might be a simple “great article – thanks,” a question that you want answered or a debate about the information in the article.  As long as it is on topic and free of offensive language it can provide meaningful discussion around the subject matter.

That share, like or comment helps increase the number of visitors to a site.  Those visitors fuel engagement, more shares, more likes and more comments.  All of these activities help the author/creator provide better content, stay motivated and make the site more valuable for future readers (including you).

• Advertisements – For sites that are monetized (set up with advertisements throughout the page), each click on a digital ad becomes real cash money for the website.  All you have to do is click and the website receives payment for that click.  It might only be pennies at a time, but imagine if every reader clicked on one.  That could mean hundreds of dollars a month for each article or post listed on your favorite site.  And honestly, does it matter if you are interested in what the ad has to offer?  What harm is there in clicking a button and then closing a window if you don’t like the product or service?

Disclaimer: I am not asking you to click on any ads on this page.  That would actually violate the policy of the company that I allow to place ads here.  Instead, do this on the next sites you visit and make it a habit when you read or view content you like.

For all the bloggers, vloggers and content providers of the world I ask – Please don’t be a digital stalker.  Instead, become a digital tipper.

P.S. Don’t forget to share this article by using one of the links below.  We really would appreciate it.

Before We Start the Review

Before we get started, you need to know that I did not receive the PSVita for free and I am not being paid to write this review.  I spent my hard-earned cash and ordered the PlayStation Vita First Edition Bundle from Amazon.com months ago.  Take that into consideration when reading the review and realize that this is an honest, fair assessment made up of my experience with the device.

Also note that I consider myself a pretty avid gamer.  I’ve owned just about every major console over the last decade from the original XBOX to the Playstation 3 and XBOX360.  I spend a fair amount of time each week (more than I care to share) gaming online.

PSVita Review – By a Real Person

I’ll jump in by saying I am pretty happy with my purchase of the PSVita.  After handling one of these at CES (the Consumer Electronics Show) just over a month ago, I knew I had to get one for further “testing.”  Here are my thoughts after one week of ownership:

Positives

• Screen Quality – the screen resolution and brightness is phenomenal.  I am still truly blown away by the quality of the images and how much light the Vita puts off.  Whites are super white and blacks almost blend into the black plastic casing of the unit.
• Graphics – The graphics (the actual moving images) are clean, crisp and I haven’t seen a single stutter or lag of any kind so far.  It’s almost like playing a PS3 in the palm of your hand.
• Weight – the PSVita feels much lighter than the original PSP (which I still own) so I can hold and game at just about any angle without my arms feeling heavy.
• More Input – With a touch-screen back and an additional thumbstick on the right, there are now more ways to control your gaming experience AND an entirely new opportunity in gaming.  The touch-screen back is featured in Little Deviants (the game that came with my First Edition bundle) and I look forward to future games that find a unique way to integrate this feature.
• Cameras – front and back cameras seemed like overkill to me originally, but then I found a game mode in Little Deviants that makes use of the rear camera, adding a touch of augmented reality.  I could shoot things flying around me and had to pick up the PSVita and spin around to really get into the action.  This really adds a new element to traditional gaming and I can’t wait to see what future games do with the cameras.

Little Deviants example - that's my fireplace in the background

• Sound – If you ever played the PSP you’ll know that the old UMD disks could make some real noise once they started spinning.  With the Vita, there is a new “cartidge” type and no noise at all is produced.  The Vita is completely silent when running.
• Downloadable games – Through the Vita you can log on to the PlayStation Store and buy just about any game as a direct download.  There is a slight discount in doing so, but you won’t have any physical media to sell to a used game store or let your friends borrow.  It’s up to you to decide if this is a positive or negative.

Negatives

• ANOTHER adapter – Sony didn’t use a standard connection for the power supply and that drives me nuts.  I now have another cable correction cables to carry around with me everywhere I go, not to mention a “brick,” about the size of 3 AA batteries that is required to charge the internal battery of the PSVita.  The 3 components needed to charge the device won’t actually fit in the carrying case with the Vita.  Major fail.

You'll need all this just to charge the PSVita

• Game Cartridges – The old UMD is gone and Sony has turned to new cartridges (weird name for them) that are almost identical to SD cards.  In fact, I am pretty sure they are just SD cards in a special Sony casing.  Again, Sony feels the need to create their own type of memory/media so you have to buy new gear to stay in the game.  Fail.
• Online Passes – Want to take your new copy of Wipeout 2048 for a spin on the world wide web and battle against other gamers?  You’ll need to buy the game new or shell out $9.99 for an online pass if you purchase a used copy or borrow from a friend.  Since I buy most of my games new, this isn’t a big deal, but it will be for game stores.

Example of the Online Pass from the Playstation Store

• Screen – While the screen quality is great, the screen construction might leave something to be desired.  From what I have read, the screen is made of plastic and has a high probability of getting scratched.  I went through this with my original PSP and I didn’t want to take any chances with the PSVita, so I shelled out an additional $9.99 for the PlayStation Vita Protective Film – Two Pack and immediately placed one on the PSVita before I began playing (air bubble and all).
• Battery Life – I am still on the fence about the battery life.  I have not done any extensive testing, but it seems I can get around 3-4 hours of game time before I get the low battery warning.  My real complaint here is that I can only check the battery life from the home screen (which means backing out of my game) and it is represented with bars, instead of a percentage.
• Load Times – One thing I always liked about the iPhone/iPad games is the fact that I can press an icon and be “in the game” within 10 seconds.  With the PSVita, it can sometimes take me over a minute to launch the game and begin racing around the track in Wipeout 2048.  That is IF I am not switching between games.  If I decide to change to Little Deviants, I’ve gotta locate the cartridge and change it out as well.  That takes even more time.  Maybe I am just spoiled by iOS.

That’s all I have for now, but I am sure I’ll learn more about the overall gaming experience of the PSVita as times goes on.  I’ll update the article and add any additional thoughts as I can.  Do you think I missed anything?  Do you have any questions about the PSVita or want to see a picture of something particular?  Just let me know in the comments below and I will be happy to help, one gamer to another.

If you found the article helpful or interesting, please share with friends and family using one of the share tools below.  Thanks.

With every company offering you the newest device AND a 3G plan (ALERT – monthly cost) things could get out of hand quickly.  You can shell out several hundred dollars a month to stay connected or you can get one device to cover it all – a personal hotspot.

CLEAR 4G

Almost 2 years ago I signed up for the new 4G internet service from CLEAR here in Houston and I could not be happier.  For one low, monthly price (around $75) I get home internet, home phone AND a mobile USB stick.  I immediately paired the USB stick with a CLEAR Spot (an additional one-time cost), giving me a mobile WiFi hotspot that I can take anywhere.  This hotspot allows me to connect multiple devices, while on-the-go, eliminating the need for individual 3G plans for each device.

The CLEAR Spot is great and I’ve used it daily since that original purchase, but recently I noticed other similar devices from AT&T and Verizon that really peaked my interest.  These other devices are smaller, more lightweight and the battery life seems to be far better than my original CLEAR Spot, so I thought it might be time to look for a new device.  I decided on the CLEAR Spot Voyager.

CLEAR Spot Voyager Review

At $125, the Voyager may seem like a pricey purchase, but I decided to take the plunge.  The few things I read about it online seemed promising, but no one had given a full user review, so lucky you -  I took the plunge.  Here is everything you need to know about the CLEAR Spot Voyager

• SIZE – First and foremost, this thing is amazingly small. No picture I had seen on the internet did this thing a bit of justice.  At 2.6” x 2.6” x .5” and only 2.1 oz the Voyager is about half the size of an iPhone.  To put it in perspective, check out the images to the right.

• SPEED – Looking at this little thing, I would have thought that speed and keeping a connection would have been a problem, but a few quick tests proved otherwise.  I am DEFINITELY getting better download speeds on the new Voyager (when compared to my old CLEAR Spot) and it has not dropped the connection one time.  I even tested the Voyager out by burying it in my backpack on the way to work and was still getting a strong connection.  Here are a few tests I ran via the speedtest app for iOS.

• BATTERY LIFE – To be fair, I have only had the Voyager for a few days now, but I can already tell you that the battery life is going to be a blessing.  My old CLEAR Spot barely gave me an hour of use before the battery light would begin flashing.  I used the new Voyager for roughly 3 hours and the battery level (available in the admin panel) showed it at 2 bars (out of 3).
  CON: I’d rather see a percentage of battery life left (versus a bar system), but I rarely go for more than a couple of hours on the battery alone, so this is not a deal breaker for me.

• CHARGING – This might seem like a minor detail to some, but the charging cable for the CLEAR Spot Voyager is a simple Micro USB Cable.  Compare that to the giant, clunky power supply that I was lugging around for my old Spot (shown in the picture above) and this is a major win.

• EXTERNAL DISPLAY – The Voyager does NOT have an external display like the Apollo (also offered by CLEAR), but I don’t think that will be an issue.  With two button clicks I can access the admin panel for the Voyager via my iPad or iPhone and check the status of my device, including signal strength, battery life, number of connected users, etc.   There are however 3 small lights on the front of the device that show power, Wi-Fi and 4G.

• PRICING – If you are new to CLEAR, the Voyager does come with a monthly fee (starting at around $35) but for those who are already CLEAR users, the device can simply replace an old one (like the original CLEAR Spot) with no additional monthly fees.

OVERALL

So far, the biggest criticism I have about my Voyager is that it might be easier to lose than my old CLEAR Spot.  It is honestly small enough to fall right out of a pocket or bag if you aren’t careful.  Mine will be safely secured in a zipped pocket while in use.

As the author of Why That Fancy Password Isn’t Nearly as Safe as You Thought puts it, that password you created is super complicated (which is good) but “You know who else loves it? Computers!”  A strong password is necessary, but are the rules we have lived by really helping us to create a VERY strong password?  Also, how difficult have we made it on ourselves to remember that password.  Personally, I have to hit the forgot password link on at least one website a week now, simply because I tricked myself, and I am getting really tired of it.

Password Strength from xkcd.com

RETHINKING THE STRONG PASSWORD

The cartoon from xkcd.com (shown above) is really worth far more than a thousand words or even a thousand dollars.  The artist shows a password much like any of the ones I use on a daily basis and quickly dispels the myth that it is difficult for a computer to guess.  Instead, he offers up an alternative solution.

Instead of creating a highly complex word, made up of special characters, numbers and letters, simply pick four random words and smash them together to create a new, hard to guess, super-password.

I’m honestly a bit dumbfounded that the answer is so simple.  Four random, common words can create a password that would take a computer 550 years to break!

WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE

The theory in the new, super-password is strong, but there is one flaw that I will not be able to get around right away and will still leave me looking for that forgot password link at least a couple times a month.  Every site seems to require a different set of standards for passwords:

• Your password must contain at least 1 number
• Your password must contain at least one capital letter
• Your password must contain one special character

The new super-password theory just doesn’t account for these rules and, until I can figure out a way to securely store my passwords in a way that no one can ever get to,  I’ll still be searching for a better method of password creation.  In the mean time, I’m off to pick four random, common words that I can easily remember!

MORE PASSWORD ARTICLES

• Should You Change Your Password? YES, Like Now! (JumpstartMyPC.com)
• Protect Yourself – Strong Password Tips and Tricks (JumpstartMyPC.com)
• The Problem With Passwords (Defence Intelligence)